


Waiting

by defeatedbyabridge



Category: Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger | Burstosaur Squadron Abaranger
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-04
Updated: 2014-06-04
Packaged: 2018-02-03 09:37:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1739906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/defeatedbyabridge/pseuds/defeatedbyabridge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yukito hates waiting. Especially in hospitals.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting

Yukito leaned on the cold metal railing and looked out across the hospital grounds. It was a good place, for what it was. The grounds were well kept, with a variety of plants and flowers. A group of older people, some in wheelchairs, sat around a woman on a bench in the sun as she read to them. A little further along, a man with bushy black hair was encouraging a child to walk to him on her crutches. 

He hated being here. Hated being so vulnerable. Waiting for information about someone in a hospital bed. 

Waiting to find out how soon one of his friends was going to die. 

He sighed. If he'd been a moment faster, it wouldn't've happened. But it served no purpose to go over and over it. He shivered suddenly.

The door opened behind him. It wasn't hard to know who it was. Who else always came to find him when he went off by himself, after giving him a few minutes of blessed peace? Without turning, he said flatly, "Ryouga." 

There was a soft chuckle. "Sanjou-san." Ryouga leaned on the railing next to him and bumped shoulders with him. "She's through the surgery. She's in recovery now."

Yukito felt his knees go weak, but he caught himself on the railing, hoping Ryouga didn't see. "Good," was all he said. 

Ryouga gave him a gentle look. "Ranru-chan will make a full recovery, Sanjou-san. The doctor said she'll need a few hours before we can see her, then she'll be here for maybe a week. Broken ribs take a while to heal, but they repaired the damage to her lungs and kidneys."

"She won't like that," Yukito said, troubled. "She hates being still for too long."

Ryouga nodded, then was silent for a while, staring out over the lawn. He lifted a hand to shade his eyes. Yukito sighed, and let himself relax, just a little. Ryouga talked too much, but at least he was quiet sometimes. And there was something about the quality of Ryouga's silence. Something. . . peaceful.

"It wasn't your fault," Ryouga said suddenly. 

Yukito couldn't help himself. He scowled and folded his arms. "I know that."

"I mean it, Sanjou-san," Ryouga said, still looking out. He didn't meet Yukito's eyes. "Wasn't your fault the Torinoido didn't fire at you first. If you'd been hit that hard by it, you'd be lying in hospital right now instead of Ranru-chan. And no one could say you didn't try to help her. If it hadn't been so busy hurting her it would've hurt you just as badly." 

Yukito shuddered, remembering how he'd been knocked out of the way by Ranru, barely avoiding a massive hit from the Torinoido, then she'd run forward to it. She'd struck it three times, hard, yelling something about not hurting her friends, but then it had powered up its weapon and had blasted her point blank. 

She'd crashed to the ground just after he got to his feet. He ran at the Torinoido as quickly as he could, but she was hit so hard, so quickly, she was unconscious before she fell and he didn't get there in time. 

Its weapon needed time to recharge, and that was all that had saved him. Instead it had struck him in the face hard enough to send him flying back into a tree. He'd rolled back to his feet, dazed, everything blurry, but he had seen the desperation from Asuka and Ryouga as they'd destroyed the Torinoido to save their friends, knowing both needed medical attention. 

He touched the bandage on his head self-consciously. "I'm all right. I know it wasn't my fault." 

"Good," was all Ryouga said. "Hey, that girl's doing well." He pointed at the girl with crutches, who was now walking much more steadily in spite of the obvious weakness in her right leg. His voice held joy in another's achievements, a simple emotion that left Yukito helplessly jealous. How did he care so much about others? Why did he? 

What gave him the right?

Then Ryouga shifted slightly, and his arm went around Yukito, and the easy gesture was enough to undo him. He gulped, gulped again, trying to control the sob that was hovering in his throat, but he couldn't control the tears that welled up and threatened to come out. "I don't need you," he told Ryouga angrily. "I don't." 

He felt Ryouga stiffen, but his arm didn't move, and his voice was still gentle when he responded, in spite of the obvious hurt. "I know. I don't need you, either." Another soft chuckle. 

Why did Ryouga have to know him so well? Was he waiting for him to pull away? Well, he wouldn't do it this time. He just wouldn't. That'd surprise him. He didn't want Ryouga seeing the tears in his eyes anyway. He shuddered, buried his face in Ryouga's shoulder, and wrapped his arms around him. 

Ryouga tensed, breath leaving him in a soft exhalation of surprise, then he relaxed and his other arm came up to hold Yukito properly. 

"I don't need you," Yukito said, voice muffled by Ryouga's red jacket. 

"I know," Ryouga said, and this time Yukito heard the roughness in his voice. The strain under the easy, comforting confidence. "You're tough." Yukito began to realise how terrified Ryouga must have been about losing both of them. A hand began to stroke his hair around the bandage, tentatively at first, then with more assurance as Yukito didn't shove him away. 

"I am," Yukito said. Maybe it was the shock talking, but he added, "Especially with you around."

Ryouga laughed, a short, ragged sound, then Yukito felt a fleeting kiss on the top of his head. "Thank you." 

They went back in together. Not touching, of course.


End file.
